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SAIC pays $500M to settle CityTime scandal

Science Applications International Corp. will pay $500.4 million to settle criminal allegations involving its CityTime automated workforce management project with New York City.

The payment was announced today by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the City of New York. SAIC will pay $500.4 million in restitution and penalties, and an independent monitor will be appointed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for three years to review certain company policies and practices, a March 14 company statement said.

“The United States Attorney’s Office has charged the company with a single criminal count related to CityTime, but will defer prosecution based upon, among other things, the company’s cooperation with the investigation, remediation efforts and acceptance of responsibility,” it said.

The government will dismiss the charge without prosecution in three years if SAIC complies with the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement.

“We welcome this settlement as an important step in our efforts to move forward as a better, stronger company dedicated to the highest standards of ethics and performance for our customers,” CEO John Jumper said in the statement.

“We have implemented strong improvements to our compliance program and have new leadership in place. Our financial position is solid, with a strong balance sheet and strong, predictable cash flow,” he said.

The SAIC statement concluded by explaining that “CityTime is an automated workforce management system that covers some 163,000 New York City employees in 65 agencies and that saves the city time and money every day."

The CityTime project, launched in 1998, was designed to update and streamline municipal employee records. But investigations by prosecutors, following a whistleblower’s tip, showed CityTime to be an international conspiracy with contractors earning kickbacks for inflated hours billed to the city. Two of those indicted in the scheme fled the country.

SAIC, of McLean, Va., ranks No. 6 on Washington Technology’s 2011 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors.

About the Author

David Hubler is the former print managing editor for GCN and senior editor for Washington Technology. He is freelance writer living in Annandale, Va.

Reader Comments

Fri, Mar 16, 2012
Greg Farrell
San Diego

I agree with the individual who wrote in about using and off-the-shelf program. Besides Kronos, there are several tier 1 solutions which could have met the requirements document, for millions less. This makes me wonder more about the deals that were made between SAIC execs and the New York City stakeholders,than the payroll scandal itself. As I manage software implementations, this is very disturbing news.

Thu, Mar 15, 2012
Robert2
National Capital Region

Why don't you look where those three execs ended up? SRA hired Alderson right away and nobody questions their motives in doing so? Companies shouldn't be barred, the employees doing the wrong doing should be.

Thu, Mar 15, 2012
Kwame
DC

March 15 commenter: please elucidate re the company being considered for sups/debar. Because of which alleged or proven wrongdoing. Nothing tends to stick to big companies nowadays, eh? No one ever goes to jail. At least in this case the co. disgorged half a bil.

Thu, Mar 15, 2012

Your last two sentences are correct, but most of the rest is wrong. Firing top execs does not indicate they played a role - or at least an active role. The company IS being considered for disbarment/suspension, but that descision does not arise from a City Attorney's office. Everyone known to be actively involved in this IS or HAS BEEN prosecuted. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Thu, Mar 15, 2012

Developing its own workforce automation system for hundreds of millions of dollars when there are commercial off the shelf systems that already do that (ex: Kronos and no, I don't work for kronos) is just ridiculous. Its why people don't trust the government. The people that proposed the project should be fired.

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